The use of armrests on the interior of motor vehicles has been known for some time. Increasingly, manufacturers have begun to include sliding doors as a design feature on motor vehicles such as vans, minivans and pickup trucks. However, sliding doors typically do not include armrests for the use of the passengers due to packaging problems associated with movement of the door. More specifically, clearances between inner door trims and the corresponding outer body structure of the vehicle may be reduced to approximately 20 millimeters or less in many vehicle designs. These clearances do not leave sufficient space for an operative armrest to be affixed to the vehicle door assembly. Furthermore, increasing the clearances between the inner door trim and the outer body of the vehicle would require the use of larger, heavier tracking components which would add weight and cost to the vehicle design.
Conventionally, it is known to use a folding armrest to minimize the required clearances between the inner door trim and the outer body of the vehicle. By way of example, it is known to have an armrest operative for use with a sliding door, wherein the armrest is pivotally connected to the vehicle door assembly and arranged to automatically pivot between a vertical, non-use position when the door is open to a horizontal, open position when the door is closed. However, such conventional designs rely on various drive systems, including either pneumatic drive mechanisms, electric motors or flexible drive cables to pivot the armrest. Such designs greater increase the level of complexity for manufacture and assembly and the cost associated with producing such a vehicle door assembly. Similarly, it is known to have an armrest operative for use with a sliding door wherein the armrest is pivotally connected to the vehicle body and arranged to automatically pivot between a vertical, non-use position when the door is open to a horizontal, open position when the door is closed. However, such designs are bulky, not aesthetically pleasing and difficult to reconfigure for use on a sliding door. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an armrest for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, which accommodates the minimal clearance between the door trim and the vehicle outer body when the door is opened while introducing a lower cost solution with a minimum amount of complexity to the door assembly.